Ignition of the Spark
by FavourableOdds
Summary: This FF is set during Catching Fire, and has some references from the book but differs to the original storyline quite a lot. Love triangle and the Quarter Quell.
1. Priority

I stood aimlessly in the shower for a couple of minutes. The water had stopped, my mind had not. I kept having flashbacks of the Games last year and I thought I'd just about gotten my head around continuing my life. I knew that Snow wouldn't just let it go. There was no way that the idea of the tributes being picked from the existing pool of victors had been concocted 75 years ago. It's too coincidental.

I hesitantly stepped out, grabbing my towel. I dried myself off and put my gown on. It's snowing outside, and that's just reminding me of President Snow and his sickening blood breath. I pressed my fingers gently against the window and watched the droplets of the snowflakes slide down.

"Katniss!" a voice bellowed from down the stairs.

"I'm in the bathroom, Prim!" I replied. "Hold on. One minute."

Prim. My little sister. My world. I made sure that my gown was securely fastened and bounded down the stairs.

"What is it?" I asked.

"I was just seeing if you were ok. You'd been in there a long time." She looked nervous, so I hugged her.

"Did you think I'd tried to escape, Little Duck?" I chuckled. Prim just looked up at me and gave a smile.

"You're my hero, Katniss." She whispered whilst leaning her head on my chest. "You're the best sister anyone could ask for."

That got to me. "You'd better have some food." I said to her, so that I could make a quick escape. A hero can't show their weak emotions. I mean, I'm going back to the Games soon and I'm not coming back. Well, lightening doesn't strike twice, right? There's no way I'm going to outsmart and beat any of the others. They're all allies, they've known each other forever and they're all ferocious killing machines. And then there's Peeta and Haymitch. Whoever my partner is, only one of us comes home, and I couldn't bear being victor without them. That reminds me. Peeta. I ran upstairs and put my going out clothes on and fastened my hair back in a braid. "Back soon!" I yelled as I grabbed my jacket and ran outside.

I almost slipped on the ice that had formed beneath the soft snow. Before I knew it, I was at Peeta's door. "Hello? Peeta?" I asked, through the letter box. "Peeta?" I repeated.

"Coming!" I heard in the distance. He opened the door in a towel. I bit my bottom lip, and I felt myself blushing.

"Bad time?" I asked, innocently.

"No, no. Come on in, I just need to fix myself up to, you know..." he started, pushing his hand into his hair and pouting "...look pretty." He laughed.

"Oh shut up!" I replied. "You're always pretty." I winked. "But in seriousness, is this a bad time?" I said, straight faced.

"No, sit down. Have some tea." He came over with a fresh pot of boiling hot tea and filled a cup up for me. "What is it, Katniss?" he asked, whilst towel drying his blonde locks.

"I was lonely. I missed you." I said, bluntly, whilst blowing on my scolding liquid. I could feel Peeta looking at me in the mirror. "I can see you, you know." I said, with a slight giggle to my voice.

"I can see you too." He smiled. He turned towards me and pulled me up from the arm chair, putting his arms around me. "That means you'll see me do this." He leant in and kissed me.

"Woah, woah, woah, Peeta." I exclaimed stepping back.

"What is it?" Peeta asked looking confused. "Are you ok? Is everything ok?"

"I'm fine." I laughed, "It's just..." I gestured to his naked body, covered in only a towel.

Peeta looked down at himself, "I'm not on show." He laughed "Like I've said, I don't care if you see." He laughed to himself whilst walking upstairs, shaking his butt. "You know you want this." He joked.

I sat back down, shaking my head in jest. Taking small sips from my tea. Peeta returned moments later, fully clothed. "Ah! There we go! He does own clothes!" I joked.

"Yeah, yeah. Take this and be quiet." He giggled, throwing a bun at me.

"You could have taken my eye out!" I exclaimed.

"With a bun? Oh no, call the Peacekeepers." He winked, again.

"Got something in your eye, Mellark? You seem to be closing one of them quite excessively. I'm worried."

He raised his eyebrows in a flirtacious manner. "I do have something in my eye, as a matter of fact." He began. "Wanna know what it is?"

"Oh, if I have to."

"A twinkle. You gave it to me."

I made a fake retching noise, "come on! You're a baker not a cheese maker!"

He smirked. "You know you just melted inside, am I right?"

I shook my head, standing up. Letting Peeta hug me. "No. You're not right. And we're not right."

He pushed the hair out of my eyes. "What do you mean?" Peeta frowned

"What if we're both going ba-"

"Stop." He interrupted. "We are both going back. I've told you, I've told Haymitch."

"I know, but Peeta it was so hard the first time. And now we have to do it again. This time, we're not going to both be coming back. Not alive. I'm coming back in a box, that's for sure."

He pushed his finger to my lips. "Shh." He looked me right in the eyes. "I'll protect you until my dying day. I mean –" he took the bun from the table next to the chair I was sitting on. "I loaf you." He giggled, and then took a massive bite out of the bun.

"Come on, Peeta! I'm being serious here. And that was my bun!"

He looked at me with his puppy dog eyes, and then savagely took another bite out of the bun. And another. Until it was gone.

"Hungry?" I asked sarcastically

"Starving." He replied. "What about you?"

"Oh, I'm good. I have a bun." I laughed.

"So you don't need another one then?" Peeta asked, gesturing to the kitchen.

"Oh, if you insist." I rolled my eyes.

Peeta began to walk to the kitchen, and then suddenly stopped. "Katniss." He said, it sounded as though he was gulping. Swallowing hard, before saying something important, "Just hear me out, ok?"

"Ok."

"No interruptions?"

"No interruptions." I repeated. "I promise."

"Ok." He started, "At the reaping, we know you're going to be a tribute, being the only female and everything. And I'm hoping that my name comes out. I mean, hoping more than anything ever. Completely the opposite of last year where I hoped that the ground would just swallow me up and kill me right there, instead of having to go to the games. When Effie read out my name I could have just froze. But the reason that I walked right on up there, was the fact you were already on that stage. Looking so... perfect. I want my name to come out. And if it doesn't, if it's Haymitch, well, heck, I'm volunteering faster than you can say 'Prim' and I swear, I am. I will. You're not going into that Quarter Quell without me, and you're not leaving with me. I'm going to keep you alive in there. You're going to come back and you're going to live a long life. You're going to get married. Despite what you think now. You're going to have kids. No matter what you say. And you're going to go on and forget. About me. You're meant to live. You're the reason I'm alive. And I need to return the favour."

"Peeta, you're the reason I'm alive." I felt kind of choked up, he really does have a way with words. "With that bread, that day in the rain. I was so close to just giving up and dying, right there."

"That wouldn't have looked good for the bakery." He smirked.

"Come on, we were being all serious." I exclaimed, pushing him.

"I know. We are. And just remember, you're my priority until my dying day."


	2. The Mentor and The Best Friend

There was only one other person that could relate to how I was feeling right now. Haymitch Abernathy. Haymitch is the victor of the 50th Hunger Games. My mentor. A drunkard. I knocked on his door, it was close to home. Haymitch, Peeta and I are the only residents of District 12's Victor's Village, so we live a stone's throw away from each other. There was no reply, I peaked through his window to see him slouched on the armchair, hugging a bottle of whiskey with one arm, a knife with the other. Dangerous. I tried the door. Unlocked. Nobody comes to the Victor's Village, and Haymitch, Peeta and I have become close due to the events of the last year, so maybe he feels there's no need to lock his door. Or perhaps he just got too bladdered to remember where his door was.

"Haymitch, get up. It's past noon." I said, shaking him. It was useless, he was practically dead. I shook my head and returned with a vase of water, soaking him. "Haymitch!" I yelled at the same time, this rose him with a shock.

"Agh, what!" he screamed, wielding his knife. Now I know why he was sleeping with that thing. I guess that's what the Hunger Games do to you. You never rest, unless you're incredibly intoxicated. "What do you want, Katniss?" he scoffed. Wiping the water off his head. "I'm soaked now. Thanks" he added in a sarcastic manner.

"I just wanted to talk, and maybe a drink."

Haymitch's eyebrow raised. "A drink?" he repeated. "Miss Everdeen would like a drink?" he smirked. "Well, well, well." He stood up, and reached for a medium sized glass, which was in his living room cabinet.

"You have glasses in your living room?" I asked, looking at the short distance it would be to walk to the kitchen.

"Yes. It appears so."

I shook my head. He poured the glass about half full with the whiskey that he had been cradling.

"Drink up." He smiled. "Enjoy it."

He filled his own glass a little fuller than mine, tapped our glasses together and stated "cheers. To us. The District 12 victors. Two of three."

I knew he meant that the next Quarter Quell was inevitably going to include one of us. That one was me. Possibly both. But Peeta won't let that happen. My mind began to spin out of control, and I downed the glass. It burned. I put my glass down and Haymitch refilled it.

"You need another." He stated, bluntly. "Believe me. I've never let you down."

I tensed my face, and knocked back the next glass in another mouthful. I began to feel a little nauseas.

"Here." Haymitch said, pushing over some fresh orange juice. "Have some of this, then you'll be as good as new, to have another."

I closed my eyes for a second, to gather myself. And took a swig of the orange juice. It didn't really make much difference, but I thanked him anyway.

"Ready for another?" he asked. He was already onto his fifth glass. The bottle was almost empty. "We may as well finish the bottle." He said. Noticing my fixation on the small amount of liquid that was left in the last quarter of the bottle.

He refilled my glass, this time it was fuller. I couldn't drink that all in one. I studied the contents for a moment, before downing half of it.

"Ach." I said, involuntarily. I wiped my mouth and rolled my eyes due to the burning. I then downed the rest to get it over with. It was starting to foggy my mind slightly. I looked at Haymitch, who was now tapping out the remaining droplets from the bottle straight into his mouth. I frowned, as I noticed there were plenty more bottles of alcohol on the dresser, and there was literally about 3 drops of whiskey left in the bottle. It wouldn't really be wasting it.

"Every drop counts." He snapped defensively, as if reading my mind.

"I'm not judging." I lied. I found it a little funny. I thought everything was funny. My hand's funny. Aren't fingers funny? I looked up again at Haymitch who had wandered over to the dresser, and had picked up a bottle of clear liquid. Vodka. He looked at me and held it out. I nodded, again, this was involuntary. He brought it over and filled my glass.

"Now, this one is pretty strong. It's really acidic and tastes like chemicals. But for what you're probably feeling, it's perfect." He said. "I'm having some too, don't worry."

I took a sip of the spirit, and it pretty much blew my eyeballs out.

"I can't drink this!" I exclaimed, pushing the glass away.

"Come on, just knock it back. The burn doesn't last long."

So I did, and before I knew it I was home. My head was splitting, the room was spinning and I was tucked up in bed. I turned over to see somebody in the bed with me. Gale Hawthorne.

I instinctively looked under the covers, and sighed in relief. We were both fully clothed. I don't know why we wouldn't be. Why is he here? Did I call him over? Did I make a show of myself? How many vodka's did I have? Am I dreaming?

I tapped Gale's shoulder and he began to stir.

"Hey." He said, groggily trying to catch his voice. "You feeling any better?" he asked, pushing the sweaty strands of hair off of my face.

"I think so. I've got a headache and feel sick. No wonder Haymitch is grumpy all of the time."

Gale laughed. "I've never had a hangover. You were pretty wasted."

I blushed and hid under the covers.

"Come on, it was funny." He reassured me, pulling the covers off, pulling me closer to him. "No, it wasn't." He added "It was freakin' hilarious."

I playfully punched his arm. The door swung open. Peeta.

"What's going on?" Peeta asked, hurt filling his eyes. "Why are you two... in bed together?"

"It's not what it looks like." I exclaimed defensively, jumping out of bed fast to reveal I was fully clothed.

"No, I was looking after her." Gale added, standing up also.

"Why do you need looking after?" Peeta directed his question at me.

"I went to see Haymitch yesterday. I was planning on discussing the Quarter Quell. We ended up having a couple of drinks and I got a little sick." I started

"Drunk?" Peeta spat "You got drunk? With Haymitch?"

"Yes. I guess so. I didn't do it intentionally."

"There's nothing to discuss about the Quarter Quell anyway, Katniss. I told you. If it's Haymitch's name, I'm volunteering. Simple."

I gritted my teeth. "He's still our mentor, regardless."

"Mentor. Yes. Drinking partner? Not to my knowledge." Peeta grunted. "Anyway. I just came to make sure you were ok, but it looks like that jobs already been taken. See you later." The door slammed closed and Gale looked at me with his jaw clenched.

"What is it?" I asked

"No, nothing." Gale said, hiding something.

"Come on. You call tell me. We've been friends forever."

His jaw unclenched, he rolled his eyes, he sat down on the bed.

"That's it." He started "We have been friends forever. I was taking care of you long before baker boy came on the scene, and now he's annoyed that we're spending time together? I should be annoyed. I should have experienced the games with you. We would have been unstoppable. I knew you'd be coming back, thats why I didn't volunteer in his place. If I had of known they'd be letting two people come home, they'd have had to hold me back. I would have jumped on that stage so fast..."

"But it's happening again."

"I know." Gale sighed. "And maybe if it had of been me and you, it wouldn't. We could have escaped. No Peeta, no nobody."

I looked down at the ground.

"And we'd both have a house like this." He laughed

I didn't look back up. I couldn't, not yet. My mind was going crazy. Peeta, Gale, Peeta, Gale, Peeta, Gale. I felt like a toy that two little kids didn't want to share. I just wanted to scream.

"You know, I'm sick of this star crossed lovers crap. I'm 17. I like to hunt. You're my best friend. Why do we have to act like cousins. Why can't we act like we used to? The Games was entertainment for the capitol, a TV show, why does it have to carry on now? They haven't started back up again. Yet here I am, feeling like I'm still on TV. Still acting. Still pretending. I don't love Peeta. He probably doesn't love me."

"He does." Gale mumbled. "You can see it."

"Well, maybe he does. But I don't want to act that way. I want my life back." I put my hand on his face. "Imagine if you were my boyfriend before the Games, like everybody thought. Now that would have been awkward." I joked.

Gale half smiled and wrapped his arms around me. "You're my best friend, Katniss."

"I know."

"I love you."

"I love you too, Gale." I smiled

"No, I mean... I love you."

Has Gale just confessed that he loves me more than a friend? Did he not hear anything I just said!

"What?"

"I always have. You're perfect."

I blushed. "Gale."

"No. Don't. It's ok. I understand." He smiled, but his eyes were showing his breaking heart. "You don't need to explain. I guess I should know how complicated and messed up your life is right now."

"Right." I agreed, "It is."

"And that I should have told you before the Games."

I looked from the wall into his eyes, and bit the side of my cheek. Trying to figure out what his intentions are. Whether or not he is trying to make me fall for him so that I'll forget about Peeta and then I won't be bothered about killing him in the arena, and then I can come home. Or maybe he's just telling the truth. But why would Gale Hawthorne love me out of all of the girls at school? I mean, everybody knows that my friend Madge, the mayor's daughter, has a massive thing for Gale. He's so handsome, and a gentleman. Any girl would be lucky to have him. That girl isn't me though.

"Don't worry about it, though. I better get going." Gale added.

"Gale. I'm sorry."

"Don't apologise." He said, softly. Touching my face. "You didn't volunteer because you wanted to. I'd have done the same for my brothers." He was looking me right in the eyes now. His smouldering eyes. His beautiful eyes. "Maybe everything happens for a reason, and when you come home from this Quarter Quell, maybe things can be kinda... different." He smiled "When it's not too complicated." He planted a gentle yet powerful kiss on my lips. And then grabbed my hand and kissed that too. I just looked at him in shock. What was going on? I was pretty much frozen. What would Peeta say? Why am I thinking about Peeta? We're not actually together. Or are we? I don't even know what's going on with my life. Me and Peeta act like a couple, but then again, me and Gale kind of do. Or did. Now this has messed me up even more, but I can't help but feeling intrigued.

"Wait!" I yelled over to Gale who had just left the room, I ran over to him, grabbed his face and kissed him back. "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me. I don't wanna mess your head up." I admitted. "I'm sorry" I repeated

He didn't look mad or confused, he just beamed. "See you later, Katniss." His eyes smiled too. For the first time in a long time Gale looked truly happy.

I bit my lip and turned around to go back to my room, where I saw Peeta's face in my head, frowning at me. I jumped face first onto my bed and tried to blank it out but whenever my eyes were closed all I could see was his disapproving face, his hurt, his disappointment, his feeling of betrayal. "I'm sorry." I whispered, as I began to fall asleep into a world of nightmares.

**Authors Note: There are probably some mistakes in this as I am incredibly tired. Also, I have not finished reading Mockingjay yet, and I cannot stop reading it OMG I just need to sleep and do my work for my A Levels but it's too good! Curse you Suzanne Collins. Also, because I haven't finished it yet, please don't suggest anything that may give away too much of the plot. I do kinda know what happens, but I still like to read it :P **

**And if you are reading this, I'd like to thank you for doing so. Also, I'd like to direct you to the review section. Ideas, criticism and general reviews welcome. Let me know if you want this story to continue, or if you think it's going nowhere. I haven't been a regular user on this site since 2008ish so I'm kinda rusty.  
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